Acetylenes can be polymerized by contacting an acetylenically unsaturated compound with a catalyst.
According to U.S. Pat. No. 3,883,570 acetylene is polymerized by heating, under autogenic pressure, the monomer, a bis(diethyl-aminomethyl)-1,2-phenylene-dipalladium compound as catalyst and o-dichlorobenzene as solvent, for 8 hours at 200.degree. C.
The polymerization of aromatic compounds containing at least one ethynylgroup as substituent is disclosed in JP 59089310-A. The catalyst consists of a palladium compound, a triorganophosphine, a cuprous salt and an organic amine.
However, it would be desirable to provide a process for the polymerization of various acetylenically unsaturated compounds in the presence of a catalyst which allows the use of relatively mild reaction conditions.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved process to polymerize acetylenically unsaturated compounds.